Here are 5 posts that have inspired me, moved me, and motivated me this year.

I'm always amazed at the remarkable talent that exists in the blogging world. For me, it's nearly impossible to pinpoint my favourite sites or favourite writers, but for the second year in a row, I want to share some of the blog posts that I've discovered and fallen in love with in the past year. They're all fantastic reading and I hope they inspire you as much as they inspire me!

Welcome to the latest installment of the "Save, Splurge, Steal" interview series. Getting great value when I travel is always such a fun challenge for me and I love to learn how other people get the best possible experience for their available time and money. I'm asking top travel bloggers to share their expertise and I hope you enjoy their responses as much as I do!

Meet Mary Jo from Traveling With MJ!

Mary Jo Manzanares is a blogger at Traveling with MJ, founder of The Travelers Way, and the Conference Director for TBEX. When she’s not on a trip, she’s planning or researching the next one, and has a bag always packed, ready for the next great adventure. Her travel ethos is Value Luxury – that sweet spot where experience and price intersect in a WOW experience. Follow her adventures at: http://www.travelingwithmj.com﻿

1.) How do you save money in order to travel?

I work! Seriously, I juggle several jobs, all of which allow me to travel. My "day job" is as a flight attendant, so I travel every week to interesting places, usually Hawaii. It not only pays the bills, but it suits my lifestyle. I'm also the Conference Director for TBEX, so travel a fair amount with those responsibilities as well. And, of course, I have created several incomes streams as a result of my blog. It all comes together in ways that let me combine my passion for travel with the ability to afford it.

If you like travel or reading, you're going to LOVE these novels -they're perfect gifts!

There's not such thing as a bad place to read.

It isn't easy to buy Christmas gifts (or any gifts, really) for someone who loves to travel. Chances are they're very particular about their gear and, no matter what, it's hard to compete with exotic souvenirs. That's why I think books are the perfect choice.

I'm crazy about reading but even people whose interests lie elsewhere will find themselves hankering for a book to read on the train, the plane, the bus. I admit to having soft spot for real books. There's just something so comforting about the smell of paper and it's practical to have something amusing that doesn't require charging. And it's great to have something to share and swap with others on the road. But the weight of a real book isn't practical for everyone, which is why an e-reader gift card or audible book subscription work just as well. Here are a few of my favorite titles that are guaranteed crowd pleasers for the travel lover on your list.

Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland is a Frankenmuth landmark - and a holiday legend

Know anyone who collects nutcrackers? They'll go crazy!

Just how holiday crazy are you? Chances are, even if you think you are a Christmas-a-holic you'll still find Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan a little overwhelming. Bronner's has the distinction of being the largest Christmas store in the world, taking up about five and a half football fields. This is a place that is all Christmas, all the time. But is it more madness than magic? Here's what it's like to dive into the depths of a winter wonderland.

Dublin's artistic heritage is second to none.

A view of the Dublin skyline - ready for you to explore!

If you love to read and write, it's fitting that you head to Dublin, a UNESCO City of Literature. Has there ever been a city more influenced by its writers and shaped by the arts? The renowned Irish literary tradition, boasting four Nobel Prize winners, is constantly looking forward, embracing new styles and forms of writing. While in Dublin, take the time to acquaint yourself with the founding fathers and mothers of Irish literature – and reap the benefits of their inspiration!